2011 Analysis: For a rookie, Mo had a pretty good year. While there were some times he struggled gaining leverage on his opponents, on the whole he played well and at the end of the season started to really understand how to use his frame and skills to beat back opponents at the line of scrimmage at this level. Mo racked up 49 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble over the course of the year out of a position that in Ryan’s scheme isn’t a “glamour” spot on the line. While Mo was a step down at the start of the season from longtime veteran Shaun Ellis, it was evident by his play that he’ll make a great defensive lineman for this team for a long time to come.

2012 Outlook: The second year player only projects upward as he better understands the game and his abilities. While he only recorded 3 stuffs in the first half of the season, he had six during the second, which had to make Rex and the defensive coaching staff feel pretty confident about how he will play in future years. Of course, his continued growth could depend on what the Jets do with the rest of the line this offseason. Pouha is a free agent, though a likely return, and DeVito who was injured some during the course of 2011, is a tantalizing cap number for the Jets if they get desperate for room. All that to say, if DeVito and Pouha return, expect Wilkerson’s production to quicken, but if they don’t … it might flatten out his efforts in 2012.

Random Thought: Seeing Wilkerson play this year tamped down any charges that there might have been against him playing against lesser talent at Temple. Wilkerson is the real deal, and while he might never have 10 sacks a season, he’s going to be an invaluable talent to this defense over the next decade much like Shaun Ellis was during the last.

Like this:

Just stumbled across this poorly written whining piece of garbage. Your jealousy is blinding you. How you feel this year? Looked like it just might be your year to win the division, finish ahead of the RANGERS and have something to hold your head high. But that 3-0 series lead went to 3-2 fast, and the RANGERS have shown they are just a better team and will be good for years to come as they finally have the right mix of vets and youth.

Good for you...but for a 4 year period in their 43 year existence, the Islanders are but a blot on the landscape - the Devils have a more impressive record...enjoy Brooklyn, because your owner was interested only in developing land and not a hockey team - if he would have tried to entice fans instead of politicians into being complicit with his land-grab scheme, he may have succeeded.

5pts

Congrats to him for being 1 of the 1000, and I am being generous, "all my life" Islander fans. Do you want to know what makes Ranger fans better? It is quite simple. We love our team, no matter where they are in the standings. We fill MSG, year after year, never becoming a building that can easily make a person think they are at MSG when there is a Ranger - Islander game in Nassau County. Ranger love is passed down from generation to generation. I can tell you the players and their numbers going back to the early 70s. There are plenty of Ranger fans just like that, I am sure there was a surge in the sale of Jerseys t-shirts etc.. Must be exciting. Fact is the wheels of your 2014- 15 bus started to fall off when Okposo went down with his injury. Glad you can admit you are blinded by your hate. I begrudgingly admit this year you have a good team. The thing is the Rangers team is better. Sad he can't admit that, especially after Hank going down.

5pts

You fill the arena because you were the first NY hockey team and around way before the Islanders so naturally, you have a much bigger fan base (just like the Yankees and Giants).

5pts

this was on facebook soooo as a die hard rangers fan ...had to respond...ALL teams have good seasons and bad seasons ...but...islanders will always suck...ditto on potvin sucks...sad when isles only have sellouts when rangers play and most are ranger fans hahahaha..

that being said ... this dude is being premature...i see the isles slipping back to where to they belong...

lets go rangers!!!!!!! i was at p4 game 7 and plan to relive that quite a number times in my life time

maybe he should spend his jounalism writing about renaming the islanders ...after all they going to brooklyn

5pts

Exactly why most hockey fans can't stand Ranger fans. And liking a chant about a hall of famer that legally checked (from Rangers coach) a Ranger that had his skate stuck in a rut on the ice (Nilsonn's words) is just pathetic.

The only thing more pathetic than this guy is the rags fans that read isles fans pages. No wait.. the most pathetic thing is the spelling and grammar of the rags fans. Two minute minor for hooking on phonics.

As an Islanders fan, this is embarrassing. He should have stated that EVERY team has a fan base that sect that thinks their team is the greatest ever and everyone should bow before them for whatever reason. I know Isles fans that embarass the franchise & fan base and also know Rangers fans who do the same thing. There's the douchy arrogant bashing & There's the good ribbing . This guy doesn't seem to know of the latter.

I have always had nothing but utter respect for journalists. They deserve to be praised. To be respected. But this article that is circling around the net is so disturbing. This is not about The New York Rangers or the Islanders who btw should be proud of their accomplishment this season. This is about a journalist who made the choice to insult the fans of a team he dislikes. Wheres your journalistic integrity? You are a journalist. While you can write about history and have supporting historical facts, I cannot believe that you would insult the fans like me who remembers being six and watching the NYR with her father. I'm now 37 and watch the Rangers with my family. Why not enjoy the season your team the Islanders are having and write about that? Why write an article belittling and insulting fans like myself and my children? If a journalist who was a New York Rangers fan wrote an article like the one you just did, belittling an entire fan base what would you think? Honestly sit back and ask yourself that question. Thankfully there are so many wonderful loyal Islanders fans that are not like you and are enjoying the wonderful season that their team is having. Hopefully in the future you will show a bit more restraint and write articles about the accomplishments that your team is doing. And maybe regain some of the journalistic integrity. Good luck to the Islanders and the Rangers on what should be an exciting playoff.

5pts

Both sides should be excited to see competitive NY hockey again from both teams. Stop rooting for each other to lose to Buffalo in November! Who cares?!?!? A playoff series between the NYI and NYR is what we should all want and be hoping for..and the Rangers suck. Stop calling Messier your Messiah...he won 5 cups with another team!

As a Rangers fan and not a troll who saw this on a friends page, I think we both have a disdain taste for what we can categorize as the casual fan. We can definitely agree that we have some of those in BOTH of our fan bases. But I will agree there are much more on my side. Regardless of the hate, which I can share the same sentiment, we still also have to have a respect somewhere in there. Afterall, hockey isn't exactly the country's most popular sport...

Lack of a sense of humor? Take a look in the mirror Nancy. Here's a little friendly advice: take a deep breath, bang your wife, have a drink, whatever. Just woosah sparky! Don't take this poopy so serious!

A Mets/Jets/Rangers fan here, who was born in '59, and grew up in the city. When I was coming of age as a sports fan, there were no Islanders, and team allegiances tend to stay with us for life. Street hockey (wearing the red, white and blue, of course) was my favorite sport to play as a kid. As someone who has also been drawn to the hometown underdog teams, I can relate to your point, but perhaps this provides a rationale you did not consider, at least not in your article.

I'm not so sure this would have mattered, though, even if I had been born later. For the Islanders, you see, are from Long Island. Do I, as a New Yorker, have an arrogant, provincial attitude? You bet your ass I do. Anyhow, this is all pretty fun right now, eh, with both of our teams looking as good as they do? And oh, by the way -- Potvin does still suck.

5pts

I'm a life long NY Rangers fan. I decided to check out this blog after hearing much about on FB from both Isles and Rangers fans. So, Basically, I wanted to see for myself...not trolling! I give credit where it's due regardless of what team a player plays for, that's what true hockey fans do. There is no disputing the Isles have a great team this season, or that they are playing amazingly well. I am happy that tavares finally has players around him to help his skill not be in vain. I look forward to possible meet in Playoffs...because when you are a true hockey fan and an adult you want to see the best teams compete. Would I be upset over a loss to Isles in Playoff round? Absolutely! But that's hockey...you just never know the outcome...despite the BS predictions. I have to say that I don't buy into the whole "hatred" that you claim you are destined to have for the Rangers being "born" into being an Isles fan or any opposing team. Such BS! The ridiculous comments being spewed that Rangers and/or isles fans are classless...is so absurd! there are classless fans for every team, in every sport! When you write for a sports column or blog, you have a responsibility to the team that you proclaim to love and you can't be effective when you spew hate toward opposing team and their fans. You can't call a team's fan base "entitled" and then act like your opinion is 100% correct. THAT is being entitled.

On behalf of the fans here on Islanders Point Blank, I would like to say we are honored by how many Rangers fans have been trolling this site. You must be amazed to read the articles posted here and see upwards of 200 - 300 posts in each thread - especially when the Rangers blog articles get 2 or 3 if they are lucky.

I, and I'm sure other Ranger fans, come here now because you guys are good, and we're interested in what's going on with your team. Also, there are several very popular Ranger blogs; the SNY blog just isn't one of them.

I seem to remember a "you can't beat us" chant rising to the rafters in the Coliseum just a few weeks ago. Air of superiority? The Islanders have been terrible for a very long time. The team is having a great season, yes, but "you can't beat us" in the fourth game of the first season that the Islanders have been worth anything in decades? Come on, man. You hate the Rangers because they are your cross-town rivals. End of story. Your entire piece wreaks of your air of superiority, ironically. Be honest and skip the disingenuous name calling and pointless generalizations. All fan bases have their share of ignorant jerks and bandwagoneers, but, at the end of the day, the rivalry is the cause for hate. Now stop worrying about the Rangers or their fans. The Islanders are having a sick season, seemingly out of nowhere, and the future is very bright. Try enjoying it.

You make some good points. But let's not make believe that it's just Isles fans that are worrying about the Rags and their fans. There have been plenty of Rangers fans trolling here to try and rain on the parade, especially once they were able to start winning again.

As for the You Can't Beat Us chant - that was something in the moment - because quite frankly it was true. The Isles were dominating the Rangers. And you know that is a chant that has been done by both sides many times over the years, so don't take it so personally.

This article has it's merit based on how a lot of Rangers fans like to remind the Isles fans of how bad the team has been and that it was 30 years since the last one a cup. However, they conveniently forget that aside from 1994 (20 years go - mind you), the Rangers as an organization have done nothing to earn the elite status the fans think they should have.

There is no air of superiority with Isles fans. It's little brother finally getting big enough to fight back a little.

More importantly. Why u on an isles blog site??? Don't see my name or any other name here coming up on yours. Simple answer. Rags have very few "real fans" and are more supported by suits, corp tickets and bandwagon jumpers. It's that simple. U can not compare the knowledge and passion of any isles fan. Top to bottom. That my friend is fact!!!

Ha...ISLANDERS don't matter and yet look at all the Rags fans jumping on an Isles fan page. Proving the author's point even more. What a great article. And I love the Ranger fan saying they weren't an Original Six team...don't even know your own history...smh. LGI!!!

I was not saying we were not an original 6 team, we weren't even the first ny hockey team, the Americans were. The term original six didn't come around until the 40's well after many nhl hockey teams have Come and gone. The term original six ris a reference to an Era of stability which lasted until the 67 season when the nhl brought back expansion teams. The article Metioned that the Rangers when they entered the league where an Original six team, that statement is wrong there was no term original six in 1927.

Islanders plain and simple, represent the worst part of NY. Freaking long Island. Everything about l. I. Blows. I've been a hockey and a rangers fan since I was 5 in 1980. About the same time I realized how much l. I. Sucks as a whole. The Rangers no matter how bad or how much they spend on players will always be front page and the Islanders will remain just a blurb in the local sports of news day. And potvin will always suck.

Ranger fans are scum who can't afford to go to the Garden so they come to the Coliseum.

5pts

At least my generation of Rangers fans are not bandwagoneers. We didn't become fans by the time the "Fish Sticks" second win of the Holy Grail. Try being one of two Ranger fans in Middle School in the early 80's. BTW the last time you guys won Lord Stanley's Prize was 32 years ago, we were 13. and yes "Potvan Still Sucks" (Bring on the hate)http://www.potvinsucks.com/#video

How playoff series did the fish sticks win in that 20 year span. Heck how many times did you make the playoffs, so when the fish sticks earn their stripes, the media and rangers fans will give you your due respect, until then just shut up and win. The Islanders had a good team in 94 as well, but went downhill right after so you fans better hope it doesn't happen again, garth snow is still your Gm? Why I have no idea, yes he's made a couple of lucky deals, but you got to ask yourself when is his next bone head move coming?

John, please don't 'right' a novel, enjoy being in first place. Your team is so F'n awesome, they didn't even manage to win half of the games they played against a 'stupid expansion team' and neither of their two (out of five) was really that convincing, unless you consider 1 goal games where you rely on posts and deflections to win as convincing. On the other hand the three wins (MAJORITY) the Islanders had were all by three goals. Enjoy your position in first place, and stay away from 'right'ing books :-)